Bridget's Fear of Love
by jasmineflower001
Summary: BridgetEric. Bridget isn't sure if Eric loves her for who she is, which jeopardizes her realationship with her three best friends.Can she have Eric and them too, or will she have to make a choice?
1. Eric's back!

Bridget woke up to the sound of cars that were rushing past her tiny one-bedroom apartment. Another boring day, she thought. Then she remembered she had to pick up Eric at the airport. "Oh my God!" she said to no one in particular when she realized she had 15minutes until Eric's plane landed from Brazil. He had just finished playing Brazil for the World Cup. Unfortunately, America lost, so Eric had called and said he needed her to pick him up.

On the way to the airport she kept on having uneasy thoughts such as, "Will he remember me? Will he look different? Will I look different?" Then she told herself to stop worrying. Of course he would recognize her.

At the airport she waited for a few moments at the entrance/exit sign until she saw the familiar tan skin, dirty blonde hair cut short at the ears, and a somewhat more muscular but hot body. Eric.

"Bee!" he shouted when he saw her yellow blonde hair and hot sexy body. She ran into his arms and kissed him, right on the lips. "Eric!" she shouted. She knew they were getting a few "weirdo" stares from other people but at the moment she didn't care.

"So, how was your flight?" she asked Eric as they walked to her silver Escalade.

"Fine, but boring. They showed a movie we had already seen together, and it made me sad thinking about you right then, so I didn't watch it and fell asleep." He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

She pushed him playfully. "I couldn't stop thinking about you either, Eric. Especially when I was home all alone, at night, with my special lingerie you like so much, sitting in bed-"

At that moment her teasing was abruptly paused as her cell phone started ringing. Who else, but Carmen. She was never a patient person.

"Hello?" she answered huffily, hoping Carmen would get the point and say bye.

Carmen did, but just said, "Don't be mad at me. You're the one who hasn't called yet. Is Eric there?"

Bridget stole a glance at Eric and said, "Oh yeah, every inch."

Bridget knew Carmen well enough to know that she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Anyways, just wanted to make sure that he got in okay. Don't forget, Gilda's tonight."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Bye Bee."

"7, right?"

"Right."

"What was that all about?" Eric asked.

"Carmen. She said to tell you hi. Also, I won't be at home tonight 'cause of Gilda's." She had already explained as best she could about Gilda's to Eric, but he still didn't fully understand it. But he did know it was important. He couldn't keep the disappointment off of his face that he and Bridget couldn't spend his first night home together.

Bridget noticed and whispered, "I'll think of something. I'll return when we have the sleepover and everyone's sleeping, okay?" She knew she was breaking a rule, but she was doing it for Eric.

He nodded. "I love you Bee."

She kissed him and then started to drive. "I love you too."

Lena was the first to arrive. She was always early. "Where are they?" she asked herself, looking at her watch as she did so.

"Right here, Lena." Tibby drove up in her white Jeep with Bridget and Carmen in the back.

"Tibby," Carmen said, "you are not driving us back! You almost killed us!"

"Don't be jealous of my driving," Tibby said with a smirk on her face.

Lena smiled. Typical Tibby for ya.

"So, everyone brought the supplies?" Lena asked. By supplies she meant the gummy worms to snack on, bad 80's music for the party, and the picture in memory of the Pants.

"Yep." Everyone nodded. Bridget picked the lock, and then they went inside.

Tibby put on the bad 80's music and Lena put out the gummy worms. Carmen pulled out The Pants picture.

It smelled of sweat and mold, a smell they had become accustomed to since they were nine-years-old and started going to Gilda's at night for the first day before they would be apart.

Everything was the same for that night. They said the Sisterhood code and had a good time at Gilda's.

When night came Bridget was filled with apprehension: fear, nervousness, and excited ness at the same time. She wanted to go to Eric, but was afraid what would happen if the girls found out. She decided to take the chance.

They slept over at Lena's house, since hers was the biggest. "Good night," all the girls said to each other, then slept soundly. Bridget waited until she was sure all the girls were asleep and then slipped out of her sleeping bag and started for the door. She borrowed Tibby's car since she did not bring her own.

"Eric?" she called when she got into her own house. He was sitting on the couch, apparently wide awake.

"I was waiting for you," he whispered.

"I'm here now, but I can't stay long," she told him.

"That's fine, because every minute with you is worth it."


	2. Friendship or Love?

She pulled up into Lena's driveway in a rush. She had woken up late on accident and hoped the girls were still asleep. But as soon as she closed the car door, Lena's front door opened.

"Bee, where were you?" a very mad Tibby yelled at her. "You took my car and just rolled off! You made me late for work and Carmen late for babysitting a client!"

Bee looked down at her shoes in shame. She hadn't thought about how her disappearance act might affect everyone else. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "I was…with Eric."

"WITH ERIC??????!!!!!!!!" Tibby screamed. By this time Carmen and Lena were outside also.

"Bee, this was OUR time, not YOURS AND ERIC'S time." Lena said, now also very mad learning that Bee had given up a night of friendship for her boyfriend.

"I know," Bridget said softly. "But it was his first night back and-"

"And what?" Carmen asked sarcastically. "You wanted him to feel loved? Bee, that's your problem. You never think about your actions before you do them and how that will affect other people, like us."

Bridget's face was now wet with tears. She was ashamed she hadn't thought and that she had jeopardized her friendship with her three closest friends. "I'm sorry," was all she could say.

"Yeah, you're going to be sorry for a long while," Tibby muttered, then snatched her car keys from Bridget's hand and told Carmen, "Lets go, before she gets us into more trouble."

They sped off. Lena stayed and looked at Bridget. Bridget's eyes were still down and tears were still falling. Suddenly, Lena understood why Bridget had left. She wanted Eric to feel loved in fear of him leaving her. She was so used to people she loved being taken away or leaving her she wanted him to never leave her, and thus created this scene. All of Lena's anger toward Bridget disappeared and she whispered, "Come here" to Bridget, holding out her arms.

Bridget came slowly and when she hugged Lena stiffly she dared to look up at Lena's face. Her face was full of understanding and love, so Bridget knew it was okay to burst into tears, and she cried for a long time in Lena's arms, knowing Lena would stay with her until she felt okay to go home.

"Bee?" She turned around and saw Eric standing before her, the setting sun illuminating his terrific body. "What's wrong?" he asked. She burst into tears once more and laid her head on Lena's shoulder again as Lena explained the situation to Eric.

"Bee, do you really think that?" he asked when Lena got to the part about her fear of being left.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," she mumbled. She felt tired and distraught at that moment and didn't really feel like talking. She hoped Eric understood her enough to know to leave her alone for awhile.

He did, and left to her house once more. "Does she really think that?" he asked himself. He remembered seeing her tear streaked face and the confusion and pain it had held. So much sadness for such a beautiful face. "Was I the one that caused it?" he asked himself. He put his face in his hands and started to softly cry.

At that moment Bee's twin brother, Perry, came out of his room to get a cup of noodles. He noticed Eric and nodded at him. Then he noticed that Eric was crying. "Dude, what's wrong?" he asked. He had always liked Eric and didn't like to see him like this.

Eric was surprised. Those were the most words Perry had ever said in one sentence to him. "Its… its Bridget." Perry nodded, telling Eric to go on.

"She thinks I'm going to leave her, so last night she snuck out from a girl's night out and came back here to stay with me.

Perry was silent for a moment, thinking about what Eric had just said. Finally he spoke.

"Eric, I'm sorry to say it, but that's typical Bridget for ya. She just… thinks people don't love her for who she is and therefore she thinks she needs to help them along. What happened last night was just one of those things."

Eric sighed. "But I do love her for who she is, and I love her to oblivion. What am I to do, to tell her that I do love her, and she doesn't have to… help me on?"

"I would do something for her really big, something that shows you love her to oblivion and she doesn't have to help."

Eric already had something in mind. "Thanks, Perry. It was really nice talking to you."

Perry smiled. "Anytime, Eric, anytime."

Perry then got up and went to go fix his cup of noodles.

Bridget got in five minutes after Eric's talk with Perry. She looked worn out.

Eric was sitting on the sofa, apparently sleeping. She smiled. He looked cute sleeping. She went

to go put her stuff away in her room.

"Bridget, we need to talk" Eric said quietly. She turned around surprised. She had thought he was sleeping. "Yes?" she said innocently, as if nothing had gone on that day to tear them apart.

He got up and took her hand. She followed him obediently out the front door and walking towards the park.

"Bridget, I want to say something" Eric said.

She nodded, preparing herself for when he broke up with her.

"I thought we were lovers, people who loved each other to death, people who cared for each other. What do you think we are?" he asked her, turning his towards her.

She thought for a moment. "I think we are lovers, and I know I'm supposed to think of it the same way you do, but I just…can't."

Eric frowned. "Honeybee, you know I care for you, right?" She nodded.

"And you know I'd do anything for you, right?" She nodded again.

"And that's why I decided we needed alone time, just you and me, to let you know how much I really love you, and you don't have to help me along.

Bridget felt her breath catch. "Really?" she asked, "What?"

"We're going to Baja, California, where everything began. Just you and me. Would you like that?"

She smiled as she pictured him and her running down the beach together, hand in hand, the setting sun behind them illuminating her blonde hair like a crescent moon. She could also tell him her happy secret. "I would like that, a lot, Eric."

"Then you'd better get packing then. We leave tomorrow morning." He smiled at her look of love.

"Okay, I think I'll stay out here for another minute or two, just to get my thoughts straight."

"I'll be waiting for you," he said romantically, then gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"How will I be able to tell Tibby and Carmen now?" she thought. "They probably still hate me for sneaking out on girl's night, and now four more weeks away from the summer I'm supposed to be spending with them? Not good, not good at all." 


	3. Lena: feelings for Kostos

Lena sat deep in thought on her bed. She remembered the time when she had loved Kostos but had thought he didn't love her enough and SHE had to help him on. Then, he had broken her heart and she had believed he had never loved her in the first place. She knew how Bee had felt. Lena still felt it. After last summer, when Kostos came to see her again and told her he was divorced, and then in Greece when he told her he still loved her, she had to know if he truly did. She had to set things straight within her own self before she could go on with her life. She had to see Kostos again.


	4. Tibby: from anger to sadness

Tibby was steaming mad. Bridget had almost made her lose her summer job at Starbucks. She was lucky one of her friends had covered for here there or she would've gotten fired on the spot.

"Bridget is such an idiot!" she thought. "She went out for the night for her BOYFRIEND! On OUR night out!"

At that moment the phone rang. She picked it up but saw it was Bee so let it ring. The voicemail came on.

"Heh Tibbs," came a voice that sounded like Bee's, but had lost all its cheerfulness. "I just wanted to call and say I won't be here in Bethesda for the next five weeks. I know you're mad. But Eric thought it would be a good vacation. Anyway, I just wanted to call and say I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Tibbs. I just had a thought that if-" At that moment the message stopped.

Tibby wanted to call back and see what else Bee had to say, but some stubborn part of her told her to keep Bridget on punishment for a while longer and not talk to her.

She decided to called Brian, her boyfriend, instead.

"Heh, Tibby" he answered wearily on the phone, for it was already 11 at night. "What's up?"

"Brian," she said, "I just need to talk, okay?"

"Okay. I'm all ears."

She told him the story about how Bridget had gone to be with Eric for the night and how she returned late in the day so Carmen and she had to wait, Tibby's anger toward Bridget, and Bridget's voicemail.

"Well," Brian chuckled, "at least she thought to see the dude."

"Brian," she said playfully, "you aren't that special."

He laughed. "So, I think you should talk to her Tibby, at least let her know you got her voicemail and all, and if you don't want to talk about anything else, just hang up. She'll understand."

Tibby let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Thanks, Brian. You're a big help."

She decided to call Bridget and get it over with, but not be happy for her or talk to her about what had happened that day.

She purposefully called when she knew Bridget wouldn't pick up her phone, when she went out for runs. "Heh, Bee," she said, "got your message. Okay, see ya later, bye."

She left no "good luck" or "thanks" for her, but just told her that she got her message. Tibby felt horrible for some reason. "No," she told herself, "Bee should be feeling horrible, not me." But for some reason Tibby just couldn't shake off the feeling. She got into bed and fell asleep troubled, thinking, "Why do I have this feeling?" But she already knew the answer.


	5. Carmen: jobless and hopeless

Carmen was steaming hot. Bridget had made her lose her job for babysitting the Johnson kids! Since the mother had to stay home that day from work she had decided to fire Carmen for making her lose a day's pay.

When she walked inside of her Mom's and David's new house, she saw that there was a voice message left on the phone. "Heh, Carmen," came Bee's sweet voice from the voice message. Carmen was so mad she threw her pillow at the phone.

"I just want to say I'm sorry for making you late. I know you are mad, and I know you'll be madder after when I tell you this." Bridget took a deep breath before continuing. "Eric and I will be…." at that moment the voice message ended.

Carmen clicked to see if Bridget had left any more voice messages but saw there were no more. Bridget probably hadn't realized the beep, signifying the end of the message.

"I wonder what she wanted to tell me about her and Eric." Carmen thought quietly to herself. "Hmm… why do I care?" she thought after a moment, her attitude slipping back in. "She ruined me, so I don't care any more. I just don't care."

With that she plopped onto her bed and snuggled up into her covers. She realized when she woke up that she had been crying. "That's how it is to lose a dearly beloved friend" a voice told her inside her head. "Shut up" she thought, but didn't try to stop the tears.

Bridget sighed. She had stayed up almost all night waiting for Carmen to call back, and she was going to have to get some sleep soon. She had to wake up early.

At that moment Eric walked into her small bedroom and lay down on the bed. She instinctively lay down next to him and let him rub her hair.

"She hasn't called, huh?" he asked, almost so quiet she could barely hear him. She shook her head in despair.

He kissed her forehead. "Its going to be alright Bee. And I'm sorry for the part I played in this. If I hadn't come-"

"No" she said, stopping him abruptly. "Its not your fault. Its mine, and I'll deal with it later. Lets get some sleep while we can."

He nodded and kissed her again, this time on the lips. "Luv ya, Bee."

She returned the gesture and then moved to turn off the desk lamp.

"Honey, are you packed yet?" asked Eric. He glanced at his watch irritated.

"Almost!" yelled Bridget from upstairs in their apartment. "Hold on! Five more minutes!"

"That's what you said 20 minutes ago" Eric mumbled to himself.

He pulled out a ring box from his khaki pants pocket and unzipped his duffel bag to stuff it into one of his socks. "She's going to remember this vacation," he thought.

"Ready!"

Eric turned around and froze for a moment. Bridget looked beautiful! She was wearing a white t-shirt that said "Catch me if you Can!" and a jean miniskirt. She had her golden blonde hair down and justa tad bit of makeup.

"You look great!" Eric finally stammered out.

She giggled. "You do too." He looked down at his faded out "Soccer rules!" t-shirt and khaki pants. His hair was not combed and he hadn't had time to shave that morning.

"Whatever," he said, mostly to himself, but she heard him.

"What was that?" she asked.

He denied he ever said anything and then moved to get her two heaviest bags and stuff them into the trunk of his car.

When they were on the road he noticed she was quiet so asked, "Sweetie, why do you always over pack?" It was true. She had two huge black bags along with a giant, over packed backpack that he recognized as his own for school.

She giggled. "Why do you always under pack?" He shrugged. He had only brought a sports duffel bag filled with clothes that could last for a week. But, he had also brought his favorite book of all time, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. He loved the way Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth overcame their hardships to love each other.

"Well, I know that we're going to have a great vacation" Bridget said, and placed her hand over her growing stomach, hoping Eric would notice.

He did, but took it the wrong way. "Does your stomach hurt, Bee? You had too much for breakfast huh?"

She was hurt he hadn't noticed her growing abdomen yet, but no one else had either except for her. She forced herself to smile. "Yeah, that must be it" and turned her head away.

Eric seemed to recognize he had said something wrong so said, "You look gorgeous Bee."

She smiled and forced herself to reply, "You look great too, Eric."

"Oh please," Eric offered back with a poke in her side, "not as cute as you!."

"No, you do" she said giggling and poked him in his side.

They kept on poking each other in the parking lot of the airport until their lips ended up on each others and they were kissing fiercely.

The kiss seemed to last forever until Bridget pulled away to catch her breath and looked at her gold watch Eric had gotten her last summer after she told him she had missed him at the archaeologist digging trip. A/N: if you haven't read the fourth book yet last sentence will not make sense

She gasped. "Eric, we have 45 minutes until our flight leaves!"

They took off running.


	6. Happiness

They made it to the plane just in time, but since the plane stopped loading large suitcases underneath after 45minutes, Bee had to leave her 2 huge bags behind until they could be brought on a later flight to Baja.

"Don't worry," Eric whispered into her ear as they were speed walking towards the gate entrance for the plane. "You can wear some of my boxers and t-shirt tonight."

She smiled at the thought of wearing Eric's clothes that night.

"Comfortable?" Eric asked when they were finally seated and Bridget had laid her head down on his shoulder. They were sharing a blanket so they would be warm throughout the flight.

She snuggled deeper into the blanket. "Yep, couldn't…be…happier" she sleepily said, then shut her eyes and drifted into sleep.

Eric looked at her for a moment then whispered, "No, you look beautiful Bee." Then he laid his head on top of hers and fell asleep.

"So, I guess this is our cabin," Eric said as he looked around the small but oddly familiar cabin in the sleeping quarters for camp counselors. He had already signed him and Bridget up for a month- replacement coach job there in their old soccer camp. He had bargained with the counselor director (his good friend Joe, from book 3) for a cabin that he and Bridget could have alone so they wouldn't have to split up for the time they were there.

Bridget looked around. The place was decent for her and Eric (and the other person in her tummy): two bunk beds, wooden dressers, and foggy mirrors in the bathroom. She recognized a feeling of anguish and registered it to the feeling when she had spent her first days at the camp four years ago wanting Eric; now she had him.

She nodded her head to let Eric know she heard him and then silently started to unpack her one bag that the plane had let her carry on: a picture of her, Tibby, Carmen, and Lena as children hugging each other. "We are so far from that today" she thought, and got tears in her eyes as she remembered the day before. To think that it had only been one day since their fight; she still felt the sting of Tibby's words and Carmen's glare. She winced at the thought of it.

She lay down on the bed and folded her arms across her chest thoughtfully.

Eric had been watching all this and sighed as he thought about the real reason they were there. He still felt horrible for having Bee feel that way. He couldn't stand to see her this way, and he knew by the expression on her face she did no want to be bothered.

So, he spoke up and said, "Bee, I'm going out running."

That was usually when she spoke up and said, "Oh Eric, can I come?", but this day she didn't.

She raised her head and just said, "Don't forget to be back by 5:30. We have that counselors meeting today. And I thought I saw Diana's name on the coaches' list."

Eric smiled as he said, "So you actually read it this time?" He was referring to the year when they had met up again at the camp in Pennsylvania and she had been surprised by his being there.

Bridget winced. He noticed and said he was sorry, but she said to just go and leave her be.

He knew she hadn't meant to sound mean but it still hurt. "I just hope she's better when I get back. She's had quick mood changes all of a sudden." he thought as he jogged through the soccer fields toward the beach.


	7. Chapter 7

Lena tried to talk herself out of going to England to talk to Kostos, but she knew that in her heart she just HAD to see him again. He made her feel complete and happy inside, no matter what he had done in the past.

She got onto her laptop and signed herself up for the art group that was traveling to England from her college. "I hope they forgive me" she thought, referring to Tibby and Carmen, since Bee was already gone.

"Hi Mom," she called into the kitchen as she came down the stairs for breakfast. "Heh, Lena. Can you help me finish breakfast? I just need you to finish the pancakes."

"Okay" she called.

"Mom," she said, mustering up what little courage she had left, "I'm going to England this summer with a group to draw English attractions."

Ari looked at her skeptically from the side of her eye. Lena kept her eyes focused on the pancakes in the pan. Finally Ari spoke. "It's that boy, isn't it? Kostos? Lena, I thought we were over him! Do I need to tell you about Eugene again?"

Lena winced as she remembered her mother telling her about her first love.

"No" she said meekily.

"Then why, Lena? Why?"

"I want to see him again. I never told you this, but last summer when the girls and I went to Greece to look for the Pants, he was there."

Ari sucked in a sharp breath.

"He asked me to meet up with him, and when I did, he said, 'Someday'. I need to find out if its really true. I need to find that out Mom. Please, talk to Dad and ask him to let me go." By now she had tears in her eyes.

Ari stood there for a long minute staring at her eldest daughter, then sighed and nodded her head. "You deserve it, Lena. You deserve love."

Lena threw her arms around Ari as she thanked her. Ari cried into Lena's hair as she remembered Eugene. "I just hope this is the right move for her" she thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Tibby was steaming mad now. First Bridget was gone after messing up everything, and now Lena was going, the only one that kept everyone in line.

She threw a pillow at the picture Lena had drawn for her of the Pants, the one she had given on the beach morning when they'd had the Pants for 3 years.

"We need to talk" she thought. She dialed Lena's phone first then told her to hold on, then dialed Carmen's number second, and lastly, Bee.

"Heh, whats wrong Tibby?" Lena asked.

"Oh, nothing, except that everyone is leaving each other!"

"We aren't leaving each other, Tibs" Bridget said.

"Wait, Bridget, you're gone?" Carmen asked, completely surprised A/N: remember the voicemail never finished

"Yes we are! And don't call me 'Tibs'! I still can't forgive you." They completely ignored Carmen. Bridget sucked in a breath.

"Tibby, calm down" Lena said gently.

"No, Lena, you calm down, okay? You want to see Kostos when you know he doesn't love you! All you have is 'Someday!' Is that good enough? You should calm down and think about it, Lena!" By now she was crying, and she knew she had made Lena cry now too.

"And Bridget! You, always thinking about Eric before us. Its always 'Oh, Eric wants to go out tonight, I can't make it', or 'Eric this' and 'Eric that'. Why is it always Eric?! You put him before us, your own sisters! Do you realize you broke the unspoken code? Eric Eric Eric. It should be Lena Tibby Carmen. What's your problem?"

"Well, you have me, Tibby, even if you feel everyone else doesn't want you" Carmen said gently, realizing Tibby needed support. "And what's this? Bee's gone off with Eric somewhere instead of being here with us?"

"Yes, she has" Tibby said with a sneer. "And I do have you. But I want everyone else too" Tibby said, calming down.

"Well, you know what, Rollins?" Bridget said, her voice scratchy from holding back tears. "You can keep her, because I'm not going back to you begging forgiveness. And you know what else? For once think about what other people want and not only you. Grow up, okay. I have another life now, my love life, not only the sister life. We're not sixteen anymore. Everyone wants to be together this summer, but things happened, okay? And if you still have a grudge about what happened yesterday, get over it. I just don't care anymore okay? I really thought we were going to have a good time and be sisters again, do everything the Pants had brought us to do, but you made me realize I don't need it. And leave Lena alone. She did nothing wrong except want love. At least she wants it instead of you, who barely gives Brian the time of day. You need to grow up, Rollins, 'cause I'm tired of it. you always 'want' but never fight for it. You're weak. You make people think you're strong by losing your temper and telling them off, but when the time comes to fight you just keep on talking, no fighting. Stop putting us down and start to look at your own self for once. And don't call again unless you're ready to talk like a big girl, not a five y/o." With that Bridget hung up and started to silently cry, thinking that their friendship was ruined.

Eric stood in the entrance of the door, listening to their conversation. "Oh Lord, what have I done?" he thought.

He made a move in the doorway to let Bridget know he was back.

She looked up, her face wet with uncontrollable tears.

"She called huh?" he asked.

Bee gave a tiny smile, almost invisible. "Yeah, she did."

He gulped. "Look, Bee, if there's anything I can do-"

She jumped in and said "Eric, it's almost 5:30! We have to get to the counselor's meeting."

He nodded, understanding she didn't want to talk about it right then.


	9. Passed out

"Alright, everyone, please, quiet!" shouted Gretel, the head coach for the employees there at the camp. "I will now assign groups for the next three weeks if that's alright?"

Everyone shut up and looked at her impatiently. "Alright, I'll start from the top." Bridget and Eric rolled their eyes. They would have to wait a while before their names were called.

"So, did you hear about the young new coach?" Joe, Eric's friend from a few years back, (you'll remember him from the 3rd book) asked Eric. Eric shook his head. "Well, apparently she's only 18 and is really pretty from what I hear from the other guys." He nodded towards a group of ladies by him. "There she is." Eric's eyes fell on a stunning young woman who had hazel eyes, long brown hair, and looked to be of Hispanic descent. She WAS very pretty. Their eyes met for a split second and she smiled one of the most charming, beautiful smiles he had ever seen (aside from Bridget's, he told himself). His face grew hot and Joe chuckled.

Just then the girl perked up and listened attentively to the instructor. "Jezabel Hector…with…. Eric Richman." Eric looked over at her and gulped. Bee is going to like this, he thought sarcastically.

….Meanwhile, Bridget was talking to one of her new friends, Michelle (who likes to be called Mickey), and Yesenia, another friend, about the same girl. "I heard she has a child and doesn't know who the father is!" "I heard she's a pimp." "I heard…."Bridget didn't really like rumors so stayed out of the conversation. She was playing with her fingers when she hears Eric's name. 'Oh, I hope I get with him!' She waited for what seemed forever until Gretel said, "with Jezabel Hector."

What! Everything inside her told her she had to separate them, for the sake of her and her boyfriend's relationship, but she didn't know why she should.

Just then, from the distance, came a soccer ball a camper had kicked and accidentally hit Bridget in the head. She fell down. The last thing she remembered was the faint sound of her boyfriend's voice calling her name over and over and Yesenia's screams.

She woke up to the harsh sunlight inside a dingy cabin and sat up. She looked to her left and saw a bouquet of fresh flowers (white roses, to be exact) sitting on her bedstand. "Bee", the letter read, "I'm sorry I'm not here. Luv U with all my Heart, Eric"

Bridget got mad and then thrust off the coarse quilts that were on her almost-bare body and staggered outside. She looked around and saw Mickey quickly walking towards the cafeteria.

"Mickey, do you know where Eric is?"

Mickey looked scared as she answered Bridget, knowing perfectly well she didn't like Jezabel at all. "He's with…with…her."


	10. feeling helpless

Eric walked inside the cabin drenched and in need of a shower. He was panting and had gotten a little more tanned it seemed. He was walking towards the bathroom when he heard something, a small, almost whimpering sound. He turned around and was shocked by what he saw.

Bridget lay on the floor surrounded by puke, and her face was covered in tears. She had her hand on her stomach and was mumbling something softly to herself. Her boxers and blue t-shirt were damp with something Eric couldn't make out. "Bee!" He was quickly by her side in a second and said while he picked her up and put her in the bed (not mindful of the puke) "what happened?" Bee took a deep breath and then looked at Eric, her mind made up. "I wanted to tell you in a happier place, sweetie" she whispered hoarsely. "I'm-"

At that moment Jezabel walked in. When she saw the mess on the floor and Bridget she screamed and fainted. Eric jumped up in a quick shot and was by her side in a second to feel for a pulse. "She alright" he announced to no one in particular. "Hey Bee, we're going to have to finish this talk later, k?" Before she could answer he had picked Jezabel up and started on his way to the nurse.

Bridget felt more tears stinging her eyes as she realized what had just happened, but not from physical pain as it had been with the baby she had inside her, but emotional pain. SHE was the one supposed to be in Eric's arms on the way to the hospital, not Jezabel.

"Bridget, what are you doing calling me at this time of night? And why are you calling in the first place?" Carmen asked groggily from the other side of the line. Bee had forgotten west coast time was 3 hours before east coast and apologized. "Listen, Carmen, I'm really sorry about what I did and I want to make it up to you, but not now. I have a serious problem, and I need your help."

"If it's about Eric and you forget it."

"Please Carmen! I seriously need your help or else I'll start breaking down….breaking…." She started sobbing over the phone and Carmen could tell something was SERIOUSLY wrong with Bridget and Eric if she was crying.

"Okay, tell me Bee, what did he do?" Carmen asked in a worried tone.

"Well, nothing yet, its just…" she started telling the whole story to Carmen about Jezabel, about how she and Eric were partners, and how Eric had left her overwhelmingly sick on the bed while he had taken Jezabel to the nurse just for fainting.

"Well, sounds to me like there is trouble" Carmen answered with a sigh and then asked, "Have you told him yet?" Bee had already told the other girls about her surprise for Eric and so answered with a sigh, "No, I tried to but then she walked in. I don't know if we can last, Carma! I seriously am afraid that Jezabel will seduce him."

"Come on Bee! This isn't like you at all! The Bee I know is someone who will stand up for what she believes in, and will face the Devil himself to get to that spot. What's Jezabel compared to the Devil! Girl, you knew you would have to face someone against Eric. You know he's hot, sexy, and-"

"Carma!" Bridget giggled. "I get the point. Beat her up!"

"That's my girl!"

"Yeah, although we aren't going to beat her up. Just show her who's boss."

"Okay, now let me go to bed!"

"Alright, goodnight Carma, and thank you so much. I'll see you in a month, then we'll meet up, alright?"

"Okay, bye Sweetie!"


	11. the walk

Bridget got up early the next morning so she could get herself made up. In the beginning of the trip Eric had said 'she didn't need to dress up to look pretty for him'. Now, she knew that she would have to if she were to keep him. The thought brought a single tear to her eye.

She quickly put on a dash of blue eyeshadow and just a hint lip gloss the way she had done in high school. Then, she put on a blue shirt that said 'Soccer is my game!' in faded-out red letters. Lastly she put on a pair of khaki capris. She admired herself in the mirror. 'I haven't looked this way in a long time' she thought happily and drearily, as she thought of the reason why she was getting up so early.

"Hey Eric" she said simply then sat next to him at a table with him, Jezabel, Joe, and two other dudes. They all looked at her for a moment, then looked at Jezabel, to make sure no fighting would take place, and when neither Bridget or Jezabel moved they started talking again. Eric hugged Bridget around her waist then started talking.

"So, I hear that there's a new club replacing the old one we went to last time [there was a scene in the 1st book where bridget went to a club to follow eric

"Yeah, I hear its totally hot!"

"Yeah, the music is the bomb! You guys wanna go together?" Jezabel asked.

"Sure! That's a great idea!" Eric said, then warily looked at Bridget. She nodded and smiled.

"Okay, we'll meet up tonight at 8, k?" Joe said, then got up. "Sorry, I have to go. Mickey gets mad if I'm late. See ya!"

Bridget got up too. "I really need to meet Greg. Bye!"

Greg was her own partner, and he was hot, but she never thought about it. He had the same tanned skin as Eric, almost the same nice smile, and he was just a little bit less in shape than Eric. Greg always invited her to run with him after practice but she always said she had something to do. She didn't want to get close to Greg because she already had Eric.

Eric watched her leave then turned back towards Jazzy (she had told him to call her that). "Whats up with her?" Jazzy asked. "She seems so….out of it all of a sudden."

Eric shrugged. "I don't know. I think she's even been gaining weight ever since we got here. Its just not like her." Then he reddened as he realized what he was implying.

Jazzy smiled sympathetically. "It's alright. Sometimes I say stuff too that isn't supposed to be known to the world."

They sat there staring at each other as if having a staring competition and then Eric flinched first. "Aw man! Oh crap, we gotta go! Almost late for the kids!"

"Race ya there!" Jazzy yelled, and was already out of the door before Eric could get up.

"Right behind ya!" Eric yelled.

Jazzy was a very fast runner, almost faster than Bee, but Eric was used to running with fast people. She pointed to the left for a shortcut they had been taking if they were late (that was often) and they detoured together. But then Jazzy slipped on a loose rock and fell, then Eric tripped over her legs. He fell on top of her and they stared at each other for a small moment. Then, Eric leaned down to kiss her and she leaned her head up. They stayed like that for a minute before they had to pull back to catch their breath. "I love you" Jazzy stated, and Eric stared at her. "Come on, we better get going" He got up and then helped her up, and they just walked as if nothing happened.

"Ring, ring!" Bee hurried into the as she heard her cell phone ringing. She was getting ready to go to the club and barely had any time left. "What the hell?" she said when she saw that Tibby was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bee, um, I just wanted to say-"

"No Tibs, I'm sorry, I used your car and misused our friendship. Can you ever forgive me?"

There was a frog in Tibs throat when she answered "Yeah, we can." She cleared her throat. "So, what's going in between you and Eric so far? Carma told me about it."

Bridget filled her about their problems and Tibby sighed. "I think this is serious. That's why I'm coming out to see you with the girls in two weeks."

Bee screamed and then started thanking Tibby over and over. "Oh, Tibby, thank you! I love you guys so much! Oh, this is terrific! I can't wait to see you! Oh-"

"So I see you guys have made up." Eric said as he stood in the doorway to her cabin. She turned around faking as if she were scared, and then ran to Eric. "Oh, Eric, Tibby and the girls are coming out here in two weeks to see us! Isn't that great?!" Eric smiled as he returned her hug. "I love you" he said, and kissed her lips. She returned it back and said, "You know, we haven't had our own night in a long time. My roommate is gone and…" she wiggled her eyebrows. Eric laughed.

"Well, the club isn't THAT important." That night Bridget and Eric spent the night in each other's arms.

"So, Eric, where were you last night?" Jazzy asked as she and Eric were pulling out the ropes for the kayaking. Eric cleared his throat then answered, "We decided to stay together last night." Jazzy sighed. "Eric, don't two-time me. Either have Bridget or have me. I can't be your rebound girl every time something goes wrong. Which one is it?" She looked straight at him as he lowered his eyes. "I don't know" he whispered. He then got up and walked away to his cabin.

Bridget was there sitting on the bed. "Eric, we need to talk."

"Yes, we do" Eric replied as he made his choice.

"I don't like you hanging around Jezabel. There's something about her I don't like."

Suddenly Eric's face changed. "No! Not you too! So you believed those rumors too? There's more to her than people say. She was married but her husband died in Iraq. He left her with the little boy. She was FORCED into human trafficking when she was only fifteen years old. She-"

"Eric, I'm sorry!"

"Prove it! Jazzy and I go running after dinner every day. How about you join us?"

'Anything to keep you' she thought, then nodded her head. "Alright, I'll give her a chance." 'Yeah right' she thought.

The run started out slow as Eric, Jazzy, and Bridget started their run. They barely made any conversation, one girl on each side of Eric. "So, Jazzy" Bridget said, trying to make it sound like her normal voice, "where do you come from?"

"New Hampshire. Been there since a little girl."

"Really? That's not far from Maryland is it?"

"I believe not."

Silence for a few minutes.

"What's your son's name?"

"Kevin. He's named after his father, who died in combat while in Iraq."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"No big."

Silence for another few minutes.

"What type of work do you do?"

"I work as a baker actually."

"Oh really? I can barely bake, so we always had to have the fire department on hold after the third time I tried."

All three of them laughed, and then continued on in silence. Bee could feel herself slowing down from the extra weight she had put on and thought 'oh no you don't!' and caught up with them. Eric glanced at her worriedly.

"Jezabel-"

"Please, call me Jazzy."

"And me Bee. Everyone does."

"Alright, Bee, I have a question for you. When did you first meet Eric?"

Bridget felt her face whiten. "I met him when I was fifteen. I had come here…my… first…year." She was running out of breath.

"He told me about it. Just like to get a woman's point-of-view on the matter."

"Yeah…" Bridget slowed down, then came to a complete stop. "You guys go on. I might catch up later."

Jazzy nodded, but Eric stayed behind. "Are you sure? You look pale Bee."

"As if you care" and then she turned in the other direction and found new energy she thought she didn't have to run the fastest she could away from him. But what she kept listening for didn't come. She was listening for Eric to call her name. He never did.


	12. from worse to worser

"Girls, I don't know if we can work this out! We've already grown far apart enough."

"Bee, don't worry. It will all work out." They were doing a three-way for Bridget's call.

"There, there, sweetie, don't cry. I say you tell him the truth." Carmen was always so practical.

"But how can I? He barely speaks to me anymore!"

"Find him!" Tibby yelled. "Find him, then tell him the truth. He will HAVE to stay with you then."

"Yeah, and bring him something nice for when he comes home" Lena offered. "It will be more romantic. Guys are always like that."

"Okay," Bridget said and sniffled, she seeing new hope. "Thanks you guys. Seriously."

"Anytime, girly."

She hung up, then went to the cafeteria and brought hers and Eric's tray of food into her cabin, leaving a note to tell Eric where to get his food. But after an hour he still hadn't shown up. Partner hours were over already so why wasn't he there yet?

She got up to look for him. She started around the soccer fields, then around the whole camp. She still couldn't see him.

Then she saw him. He was sitting on a hill, his legs swung over the side. It seemed he was talking. She couldn't hear clearly but she heard "love", "heart", and "kids". She then saw the form of another person…Jazzy. Bridget started up the path.

She was about twenty feet from Eric when all of a sudden she saw Jazzy lean in a kiss him. He never pulled back, but instead returned the kiss, and was caressing her cheek at the same time.

She turned around and ran back to pack. Her stomach started to flitter but she barely noticed.


	13. the worst it can ever get

"Bridget? The café told me to come and eat here?" Eric walked through the cabin door as if nothing had ever happened.

He looked around in the dark then saw someone sitting on the bed, and a bag, BRIDGET's bag, near the door. The person on the bed turned around. Bridget.

"Bridget, what's going on?" Her face was tearstained and had a river of black from her mascara on it.

"Eric, how could you? HOW COULD YOU?!"

He then knew she had seen him kissing. "I wanted to tell you"

"We were supposed to be together, have a family. You said it yourself last summer! Instead you cheat on me-"

"And you just let me do it!" He knew it was weak once he said it.

She kept on going. "I tried everything I could, but for some reason Jazzy just meant more than anything to you. I was that girl-"

"AM that girl, Bridget. You still are. I couldn't go through with it."

There was silence. For some reason Bridget's voice was still upset, as if she didn't believe him.

"I came out here to tell you we were going to be a family, that I would need your support, and this is how it is? I'm pregnant with YOUR child! Dammit, Eric, you just don't get it-"

"Wait, you're just telling me NOW that you're pregnant?!"

"I thought you would have noticed! Everyone else did! The extra pounds, large breasts, weird nerves…didn't you get it? Or was your attention too focused on Jazzy to even notice ME?"

She started breathing rapidly. The baby inside of her felt weird. "And to think of all we did…don't come any closer!" She put up her hands. Eric stopped walking. "That's not fair" Eric whispered quietly. Bridget ignored him. Instead she placed her hand over her belly and bent over in pain.

"I…trusted you…and…now….something's wrong…." she slid to the floor. "Bridget!"

At that moment Jazzy put her head in the door. "Eric, we need to talk." Her eyes opened at the scene before her. "What the-"

"Not now. Call an ambulance! Quick!"


	14. AWOL!

Lena walked off of the plane with jitters in her stomach. Her Grandma was supposed to be sending one of her many cousins to pick her up. Then she heard her name being called.

"Lena! Lena!" She turned around and saw her favorite cousin, Karenna, waving at her. She smiled and waved back. They hugged.

"Oh, Lena! It's sooo good to see you again!" Karenna said with tears in her eyes. Lena was crying too but nodded. It felt good to be back in Greece.

"So Lena, why did you decide to come back here and visit our little town?" Karenna asked. She was driving up the hill in her small Portia. Lena reclined the seat and smiled. "Can't I just want to see family?" Karenna gave her a sly look and said "Its that boy isn't it?"

Lena's face reddened and looked out of the window. "I just have to know if….we can still have something together. You understand, don't you?"

"No, I really don't. The thing is, when a girl and guy break up, they're broken up. For life! But, in your case I can see an exception." Lena smiled then nodded her thanks, then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Lena opened up the door to her Grandma's house and at once received many hugs and kisses from all of her family. Finally she spotted out her Grandmother.

"Grandma!" she cried.

"Lena!" her Grandma cried out, and they stayed like that for the longest moment, then let go and started coming back to reality.

"Well, Lena, ever since last year your cousin Vicky has gotten married and had a little boy..." her Grandma started filling her in on the family gossip.

After what seemed a whole day of laughing, crying, and having a good time, Lena was finally ale to sneak away to THEIR spot. She wondered if he ever came there anymore. Probably not.

She sat looking at the moon in the sky, wishing she had brought her sketch pad, when she heard a rustle of leaves behind her. There was no wind so she looked behind her. There he was.

The full 6'4'' of a tall, lean, tanned handsome man. Kostos.

For some reason Lena wasn't really surprised when she saw him. She nodded then turned her attention back to the sky. He sat beside her and did the same.

After what seemed hours he finally spoke. "Lena, it's great you're back."

She looked at him and smiled. "I'm glad I'm back."

They turned their attention back to the sky and sat like that for a long time, but it wasn't long before the sky started to get a tinge of pink across its borders. Lena jumped up when she realized what time it was. "I have to go!" she cried out.

She turned to leave when Kostos caught her hand. She stopped and looked back at him, her legs not able to move any longer from what seemed that simple touch.

"Lena…will I see you around?" She knew that meant will she come back the following night.

She nodded and said "Of course, Kostos. You can count on it." He then released her hand and she turned to go.

"Lena WHAT!!!" Tibby cried into the phone.

"She went AWOL and decided to go 'check up' on Kostos!" Carmen screamed into the phone for the hundredth time.

"We have to help her!" Tibby was finally able to get out.

"Yeah, but how?"

"Hmm…we're her sisters, Carma! We have to help her out! We can't ask Bridget either because she has problems of her own."

"Yeah…we have to go to Greece."

At that moment Tibby's dorm telephone rang. She had returned the night before.

She picked it up.

"Bridget's WHAT?!"


	15. bundle of joy

Bridget woke up with the sound of a small, continuous beep in her ears. She looked to her left and there was a vase of yellow daisies there. She smiled and then looked to her right. Eric sat fast asleep in a chair, his head on the bed. She lifted a hand to touch him. He flickered and said groggily, "Look Jazzy, I already told you, we're done!" Then he sat up and seemed to notice the blond hair, tan skin, and blue eyes that were on the hospital bed. "Oh, Bee!" He reached for her hand and she reached for his other. They stared at each other for a moment before a doctor walked in and said, "Oh, you're awake, Mrs. Richman."

"MRS?" She looked to Eric. He smiled sheepishly.

"I gave him your name how it would be in a couple months…that is, if you accept." He pulled a box out of his pocket.

"I'm sorry, Bee. The whole reason why I came out here was to ask you to marry me, and I forgot the whole reason just because of some other pretty girl. I love you, and it took me all this to realize it."

She stared at him then nodded her head, tears coming down her face. Tears were coming down his too. "Yes", she whispered in his ear as they hugged.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Um, Mr. and Mrs. Richman, we have something to talk about."

He closed the door behind him. "Um, Mrs. Richman, I am happy to say you were pregnant with twins."

She smiled, then suddenly the word came into view. "WERE?"

The doctor looked sad as he said, "I am sorry, Mrs. Richman, we did everything we could to save your little boy, but he was too premature." She then noticed that she didn't feel anything in her stomach, and although it was still large, it felt empty. "Your twins were born too early, Mrs. Richman. Have you been going through any stress lately?"

Eric spoke up. "It's my entire fault! I never should have done it." Bridget squeezed his hand and shook her head.

"However, I am proud to say that even though your girl was born 2 months early, we were able to save her."

"Hold up, I was 7 months pregnant already?!"

"Yes, but you have such a fit body that it barely showed. Now, if I may present your little girl to both of you proud parents…"

The door opened and a tank came inside on a seemingly-like buggy. It brought tears to Bridget's eyes when she saw the tubes going in and out of the small pink body.

"Can I hold her?" she whispered loud enough for the doctor to hear. Eric had already held her when she was born, but Bridget had been unconscious during the C-Section.

The doctor nodded to the nurse, who opened the tank and picked up the frail body. She then wrapped her in a blanket and handed her to her mother. "Oh, oh!" Bridget said, and she started to cry as she felt a love for her new child she had never felt before except for Eric.

"I love you, little one" she whispered, then remembered that she hadn't been thinking of names.

"Oh my God, Eric, we need to think of a name!"

"I already have: how about Alexandria Kate Richman?"

"It's perfect. And we can call her Alex for short." She looked down at her daughter. "You hear that, Alex? You have a name now." Eric chuckled and Alex opened her eyes. But then she started to make sounds that sounded like crying, but it didn't sound right.

"She's hungry doctor?"

The doctor nodded but said, "She needs to go back in her tank now. She needs to stay in there for a month or two before she can come out well again. We'll release you in about a week. We just want you to heal from the surgery."

Bridget nodded then kissed her daughter's cheek before letting Eric do the same.

At that moment a nurse came in. Doctor, there are 3 ladies here to see Mrs. Richman."

Tibby and Carmen stepped through the door and smiled. "Bee! We are soo glad to see you! When someone called and left a message that said you were not doing so good we all hopped on the next plane to Baja!" Tibby said, then noticed the little baby that was in the tank. "Oh, she's more beautiful that we ever imagined! Oh, she looks just like her mother."

Carmen noticed Eric by the bed. Eric smiled but she didn't. Instead she crossed her arms and said, "Whats he doing here? Did he finally find the time to get away from Miss Sugar to come here and see you, Bee? Want us to kill him for ya?"

Eric lost his smile and looked at Bridget. She smiled at him. "Come on, you guys! We've made up! Anyways, I didn't mean for you guys to hate him. I just asked you to give me advice."

Tibby crossed her arms. "So, after all that trouble, you guys make up just like that?" Bridget shrugged and nodded. "Love makes it worth it, and now with our little bundle of jow we couldn't be happier."

Tibby sighed, "Alright then. If Eric promises to not cheat anymore, we'll leave you two alone. We can't spend $200 on a plane ticket again for nothing."

"Actually, we were hoping you could join us after camp is over next week. We decided to take a cruise…"

"Sorry, but we have some other sister business to take care of. Lena has gone back to see Kostos again!" Carmen stated. Bridget was bug-eyed, then finally managed to sputter out "She…never called…"

"She was getting on the plane when she called Tibby, and she didn't call me either. Bee, we have to do something!"

Eric's head was bent deep in thought then spoke up loudly "That's the place!"

Tibby rolled her eyes. "WHAT's the place, Eric?"

"The place where the cruise goes! I remember Bridget telling me of Lena's history and mentioned something about a Greek town…the cruise goes to Greece! We're saved!"

For once Tibby was glad Eric was there and hugged him. "Thank you so much! Let me call Brian to get over here quick and….Carmen, call both our jobs and tell them we need the next 3 weeks off." She looked at Bridget, who was glowing with happiness and the sense of adventure. "We've gotta sister to save."


End file.
